Explaining Second Language Learning

1. Explaining Second Language Learning

2. Table of Contents • Behaviourism • The Innatist Perspective • Cognitive Perspectives • Information processing • Connectionism • The competition model • Discussion

3. Behaviourism Explains learning in terms of Stimulus Response Reinforcement

4. Behaviourism Idea of behaviourism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyMQE5fezEs

5. Behaviourism Development Skinner suggested that the same process happens in language learning Strong influence between 1940s and 1970s Influence on Audiolingual teaching materials Classroom activities focused on mimicry and memorization

6. Behaviourism Learning the 2nd language Skinner‘s idea related to language learning Using stimulus- response-reinforcement model In language learning a behaviourist slant is evident

7. Critique of behaviourism By the 1970s behaviourism was seen as an inadequate explanation for 2nd language learning

8. Question Which classroom activities were used in language classroom on the background of behaviourism? Mimicry Memorization Dialogues and sentence patterns learned by heart

9. The Innatist Perspective • Universal Grammar • An explanaition for 2nd language learning? • Different views

10. The Innatist Perspective • UG must be available in FIRST and SECOND language acquisition • Either  same nature and availability of UG • OR  nature of UG alters by acquisition of others languages

11. The Innatist Perspective • Role of instruction and feedback for 2nd language learners • Language acquisition based on natural language availability

12. Krashen’s “monitor model” • Model of 2nd language acquisition • Stephen Krashen (theory from 1982) • Influenced by Chomsky’s theory and based on five hypotheses

13. Krashen’s “monitor model” • Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis • Acquisition  no conscious attention to language • Learning  conscious attention to language

14. Krashen’s “monitor model” 2. Monitor hypothesis • Acquired system is responsible for spontaneous language use • Learned system acts as a monitor

15. Krashen’s “monitor model” 3. Natural order hypothesis • Language features easily to state are not necessarily the first to be acquired • Similar to children acquiring 1st language • Example: Third person singular –s

16. Krashen’s “monitor model” 4. Input hypothesis Necessary for acquisition: • Language is comprehensible • The level of that language is just a step beyond your level • “i+1”

17. Krashen’s “monitor model” 5. Affective filter hypothesis • Explains why there are people not acquiring language successfully • Metaphorical barrier (feelings, motives, needs, attitudes)

18. The Input Hypothesis Modelof L2 learning and producion

19. Krashen’s “monitor model” • Krashen’s theories have led to new approaches of language teaching • However, there has been a lot of critique on the “monitor model”  What do you criticize on this model?

20. Cognitive/ Developmental Perspective ? =

21. Information ProcessingN. Segalowitz • knowledge is built up and can be retrieved automatically • at first learners have to concentrate on aspects of language • later information processing becomes increasingly automatic

22. Information ProcessingR. DeKeyser • Language learning as “skill learning” • declarative knowledge becomes procedural knowledge • declarative knowledge may disrupt a fluent speaker later on or may even be forgotten • restructuring (may result in backsliding)

23. Transfer Appropriate Processing • Retrieval of information works best, if it is asked for in similar situations as it was learned in

24. Connectionism • importance to the environment • only the ability to learn is innate • emphasis on frequency • knowledge is built up through exposure • development of connections • chunks

25. = ?  learning does not work like a computer: • connections and generalizations are drawn and may even cause errors (overgeneralization)

26. The Competition Model Hypothesis: Language acquisition occurs with the necessity of learners‘ focussed attention or the need for any innate brain module that is specifically for language Proposed as an explanation for 1st and 2nd language acquisition

27. The Competition Model 2nd language acquisition requires that learners learn the relative importance of the different cues appropriate in the language they are learning What are cues and how do we use them? Cues of animacy Relationship between words in a sentence

28. How to use cues.. ‘‘ Box push boy“

29. How to use cues 1st language learning Cues of animacy of the nouns and knowledge about how things work Word order patterns get stronger than animacy cues Later on attention to grammatical markers

30. How to use cues… 2nd language learners Il giocattolo guarda il bambino May have difficulty to understand and interpret the sentence, because they don‘t know such a weak word order Italians focuses on the animacy of the two nouns and draw their conclusion

31. Question What is the difference between 2 or 3 year old English speaking children and children by the age of four? 2/3 years old: use cues on animacy of the nouns and their knowledge of the way things work 4 years old: get an idea about an s-v-o interpretation to strings of words. Word order patterns are stronger than animacy cues

32. Discussion